Daughters
by Arsinoe Selene
Summary: (The Scorpion King) OC added in, Alexandria, Memnons daughter. May be in danger of MS-ishness, but this is my first angst. Follows the movie. I couldn't think of a good title, okay?
1. The Raid

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. The Rock, Takmet, Memnon… they all belong to their respective actors/whatever. Which isn't me.

Possible Mary-Sueish-ness, but I don't care. Blame Tris. Just for reference, the sorceress's name is Cassandra.

Damn it, Tris, why did you have to make me write an angst? Stupid muse…

"Arsinoë Selene is writing an angst?"

Shut up, Tris. I BLAME YOU!

(growls)  
Oh well. On with the story. Evilness…

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There was a raid on her village. Memnon and his army were burning anything they couldn't kill. She watched as her family and friends were all slaughtered. The air was filled with the screams of the dying.

The screams of dying children. Those voices would stay with her for the rest of her life, and she was only five.

She ran, trying to get away from the voices. Her tears blurred her vision, and she had no idea where she was going. The screams wouldn't leave her alone.

She could make out her uncle, Mathayus, through her tears, and ran for him.

Suddenly, an arm grabbed her below the arms and lifted her into the air, then onto a horse. Despair washed over her when she realized the man wasn't Akkadian, but part of the raiding party.

Alex's last image of her family was two of her uncles and a family friend chasing after the horse. They were soon lost in the darkness and the blurring of her tears. After they could no longer be seen, she turned, looking ahead, and wept.

The screams wouldn't leave her alone.

The raiding party returned to the city with several hours of darkness still left. The man who had picked her up was none other than the young king, Memnon. He dismounted, then turned and lifted Alex off the horse. She offered no resistance, though she offered no help, either.

"You will be living here, now." He told her. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. She hated him with a passion.

"Why did you bring this girl back with you, my lord? Surely compassion for merely and inferior girl cannot be good for your reputation." Alex fixed him in a glare, hate fire burning in her eyes. Taking a swing at him with her small fist, she managed to catch him in the eye and bloody his nose.

"I do not need your permission to do something, Thorak." He growled. Thorak was holding his nose and leaning forward, so as not to make the blood from his nose go down his throat. Brushing past him, Memnon made his way inside towards his rooms.

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"You bring a girl back with you. I thought you said that you were going to wipe out the entire village." Cassandra observed.

"No…" Alex said tiredly. She had her head on his shoulder, and was slowly but surely crying herself to sleep.

"You need to go to sleep, little one." He told her.

"No…" She repeated as he started walking toward his own bedroom.

"Yes, you are tired and had a long day."

"How can you act like nothing even happened?" Cassandra asked.

"No…"

"Are you sure you aren't tired?"

"No…"

"So you are tired?"

"No…"

"You might as well just ignore her, that is all she is going to say." Memnon turned his head to look at her, then looked back down at Alex.

"You are going to bed wether you like it or not."

"No…" She was already half asleep on his shoulder before he got to his door.

There was a small, extra servant's bed at the end of his. Before he laid her down, he removed the sling style bag from her back and released the death grip she had around his neck.

"No…" She protested one more time as he laid her down. Even though she was asleep the instant her head touched the mat, her hands seemed to grasp at something that wasn't there. Finding a small, light blanket, he covered her. Grasping the edge of the blanket, her hands were still.

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Evil, evil, evil! Tris, I wish I could banish you from my mind. Oh, well. First chapter, review, but remember that this is my first -and hopefully only- attempt at angst.


	2. Breakfast

Disclaimer: Guess what! None of it's mine! Wow!

**_Rachel:_** You like it? Thank you! Well, I think… Angst isn't really my thing…

**_Sorceress Cassandra180:_** Thanks, not really my thing, but…

Yeah, if you look at my other stories, you would probably ask why I'm doing angst. Well, blame Tris, my pyro muse.

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Waking up, Alex had a brief moment of panic, until she remembered what had happened last night, and where she was. The memories came back in a flood, along with tears. Feeling for her hidden dagger on her left arm, it was still there.

Standing, she rested her forearms on the end of Memnon's bed, then laid her chin on her arms.

He awoke a little later, and saw her face staring back at him, two shining tear streaks running down her cheeks. There was no real emotion that he could discern, besides the tears. Getting up, her eyes followed him, never looking anywhere besides his face.

After he changed, he walked over to her and offered her his hand. She never took her eyes off of his, but now he could tell that she hated him.

"Come along." He told her. She made no move to show that she had even heard him. "Alright then." Bending down, he picked her up and carried her to breakfast with him, looking a bit awkward, though.

He set her down in a chair to the left of his own. Her eyes just reached over the edge of the table. Grabbing the edge and tipping her head up she could almost see the plate. She sent Memnon a minor glare, then tried to reach some food.

Memnon saw the problem as soon as he put her down. Summoning a servant, he spoke to him in low tones. The servant –whom everyone called Zander, short for Alexander- left for a few moments, then returned with a wooden box.

Zander picked her up with one arm, and set the box on her chair. He looked much more at ease holding her than Memnon, and she started playing with his short, dark, curly hair.

"What is your name, sweetheart?" He asked.

"Alexandria, or just Alex."

"How old are you?"

"Five." He smiled, and set her back down.

"I hope to see you later." She smiled, then returned to trying to get food, which was more successful. "Sweet girl." Zander said to Memnon. "Where did you find her?" He hesitated for a moment before replying.

"She's my daughter."

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Alex looked up, having eaten her fill –which wasn't much- and now a bit bored. Memnon was talking to someone, seeming to have forgotten all about her.

Carefully, she climbed off the box to the ground. The box was shifted over slightly as she got to the floor.

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Grrr. That's all I have to say.


	3. Uh, yeah

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Alexandria and Zander.

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A stiff breeze blew, knocking the box off of the chair. It crashed to the ground, and Memnon looked over to see that Alex was gone.

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Zander walked past a hallway. Casually, he glanced down it. Then did a double take.

Alex was sitting on the ground with a very confused Red Guard looking down at her. She was simply staring at the guard with a look of mild surprise on her face. Her left arm was wet with blood, and was bent between the wrist and elbow in a way that it shouldn't have been.

"Alex!" They both looked up, and Alex glued her eyes to Zander. "The king is looking for her. I will bring her back, to save you the trouble." Gently, Zander picked her up and cradled her arm in his hand. Giving a curt nod, he left the confused guard standing there, watching them leave.

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"Philos!" He called, knocking on the door with the toe of one shoe.

"Enter." A voice called from inside.

"I can't open the door, my hands are full."

"Alright, then." A man with wild, grey hair opened the door. "Oh, Zander, come in. Umm… you can just put her on that table right there." As Philos got bandages and pastes, Zander set Alex down on the table, still supporting her arm.

There were a few clinks and crashes as Philos rummaged through some supplies.

"Here you go." He handed Zander a damp towel so he could clean the blood off of his hand, then turned his attention to Alex. "Now, let's have a look at you." After gently cleaning her arm of the blood, he said, "Oh, well that doesn't look very good. Doesn't that hurt?"

"Yes." She said, never taking her eyes off of his face. He nodded, slightly confused.

"I am going to have to straighten the break, which will hurt." Her right hand found Zander's, and squeezed gently. "Ready?" She nodded, and winced slightly as he straightened it, but otherwise never moved.

"There you go," He said, wrapping her arm up. "Good as new. Just try not to use it for a few weeks."

"Thank you." She said shyly as Zander lifted her off the table.

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"So he is not your father?" Zander asked as they walked towards Memnon's throne room. "Why did he say it was?" He said, more to himself then to anyone else.

Rounding a corner, they saw a pair of guards, one on either side of double doors. They were stopped, and one of the guards slipped in. After a few moments, he came back, closing the door behind him.

"The king does not wish for any visitors at the moment." He said firmly.

"I believe that he would-" Zander started.

"If you wish to argue," The other guard roared. "I have no problem escorting you to the dungeons!"

"Excuse me?" Alex asked in a high voice.

"Children should speak only when directly spoken to." The first guard told her. Ignoring him, she went on.

"I do believe that he would like to see me, his only daughter. I think he was worried about me." She held up her bandaged arm, showing it to them. Both guards looked as if they had been kicked in the stomach.

"Oh, I'm-" One of them stuttered. "I-I'm sorry… princess. I did not recognize you. Please forgive me." They both bowed and opened the doors to let them through.

"Zander," Memnon sounded relieved as he stood and walked towards the two of them. "Thank you for finding my daughter. But, what happened to her arm?"

"I broke it, and Philos fixed it for me." She replied. Memnon picked her up, and held her on his hip.

"You are dismissed, Zander." With a small bow, he backed out, closing the door. "How did you break your arm?" She merely shrugged. She knew, but didn't really care enough to tell him. He sighed. "I suppose it does not truly matter. As long as you are safe." Turning, he walked back to his throne.

"You are not a very good father." She said. He stopped and looked at her, confused.

"And why is that?"

"I was able to get away. I could never do that…" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Before." She finished. "You got distracted." He thought on this as he sat down with Alex on his lap.

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Yeah, I know I'm posting a lot of chapters in a short time.

I was very tempted to put 'stone throne' in there somewhere.


	4. Nightmares

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries! Now go! Before I taunt you a second time!

**_Sorceress Cassandra180:_** Thank you! I might read it. (smiles)

**_Roselynn:_** THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

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_He crept through the scrub brush, having heard a nonsense song coming from nearby. There was also the sound of a stream coming from the same area. Carefully moving aside a branch, Memnon saw a young girl kneeling at the edge of the stream. It was she who was singing. She couldn't have been more than five or six. Stepping out of the cover, he took a few steps towards her, so he was standing at the edge of the stream._

_"Hello." Her head jerked up, while her right hand shot to her left shoulder, and she tensed. "Do not be frightened, I will not harm you." She relaxed slightly, but kept her hand on her concealed dagger._

_"What do you want?" She asked him._

_"I was merely wondering why such a young girl would be allowed to be alone. I do not know of any villages nearby."_

_"I can take care of myself." She said proudly. "And I'm not far from home, my village is just over there." Turning, she pointed slightly behind her and to her left. Looking back to him, she said, "I'm an Akkah- Ahhai-"_

_"Akkadian?" She nodded eagerly. He contemplated this for a moment, then seemed satisfied. Stepping into the stream, he crossed and stood next to her. Again, she tensed and her hand moved to her shoulder as she looked up at him. "What is your name?"_

_"Alexandria." She replied cautiously, not comfortable as to how close he was to her._

_"Stay close to your mother this night, Alexandria." His charming smile disarmed and relaxed her. "You are a very sweet girl." She watched as he turned and left the same way he came._

_She should have told her parents about the man she met at the stream. She should have told one of her uncles, someone. Instead, she stayed silent and near her mother, as the man had advised._

_Her parents thought it rather strange that she was so clingy to her mother, and that she hadn't taken off her sling-style pack from the trip to the stream, but said nothing._

_Darkness fell, and with it came warcries from Memnon's invading army. They swept in like a plague, killing and burning everything in their path. In the confusion, Alex got separated from her mother._

She sat bolt upright in her bed, coming out of a nightmare plagued sleep. Drenched in sweat and shaking as with a fever, she buried her face in her hands and wept. It was the same nightmarish dream –nay, memory- every night, for the past ten years. Every night, it was the same thing that jerked her awake.

The screams of dying children.

Getting out of bed, she walked over to her table that held a large bowl and a pitcher full of water. Pouring the water into the bowl, her hands shook terribly. Setting it back down, she splashed her face with the cool water. It helped a little, less than the night before, like usual. At first, it had cleared her head and calmed her considerably. But now, it hardly did anything at all.

Once out on her balcony, she sat on the couch and hugged her knees. She had lost countless nights of sleep out of fear of the nightmare. When she did get to sleep, it was fitful and haunted by the screams. Sometimes she woke up with her father –step father, she considered him- sitting on the edge of her bed, holding her hand and petting her hair, having woken him up with her screaming. Other times, it was Cassandra.

She couldn't stand it anymore. The guilt for the death of her people, the long sleepless nights, and the screams. Those were the worst.

The sun rose, as it did every morning, and she watched it rise, as she did every morning. It seemed to help more than the water splashed on her face did.

"Alex?"Cassandra knocked on her door and opened it at the same time. "Alex, are you alright?" She saw her shaking on her balcony, and sighed. Walking over and around to look at her face to face, she knelt before her and took her hands in her's.

"The same dream." She whispered. "I have had the same dream for over ten years." The sound of her voice nearly brokeher heart.

"Come,"She stood, helping her up. "Take your bag, we will leave immediately. Memnon's orders."

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"By my father's head, I pledge my allegiance." She made a disgusted face as Takmet dropped his father's head to the ground.

"You have proven your loyalty, Takmet. Your reward shall be great." Memnon motioned for Alex. "My only daughter, Alexandria." He placed his hand on her back and gently pushed her towards Takmet. He, in turn, took her by the shoulder and brought her next to him.

She didn't hear them talking. She was too intent on the decapitated head on the ground and one of her uncles lying dead nearby.

"Come." Takmet laid his hand on her shoulder. "Alexandria?" She looked up at him, then back to her dead uncle and then to her other one, had been knocked out. They were alone. "Alexandria, are you alright?" She sighed.

"Yes, I'm fine." She turned away. "Let's go, the others must be waiting for us."


	5. Respect

Disclaimer: (singing) If I could make a living out of loving you, I'd be a millionare in a week or two… Oh, sorry. Yeah, don't own anything. Big surprise.

**_FastFuriousChick:_** Thank you again! Yeah, Memnon is pretty mean. Even more so later… Oop, can't give too much away.

**_Sorceress Cassandra:_** Yay for chapterness! Hmm, what will she do… (evil giggle)

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"Why will you not even look at me?"

"I do not respect you." Alex said evenly, staring at the ground as they walked along outside. It was sunset, the sky turning a darkening red-orange.

"Why do you not respect me?" He kept his voice steady, though his temper was rising.

"You killed your own father. You will have to earn my respect."

"Respect? What would an _Akkadian_ know of respect?" Hitting the front of his shoulder to turn him around, she locked her eyes with his. Alex's were burning with an internal flame, fed by years of bottled up rage.

"I know enough respect to not kill my own father." Her voice was dangerously soft. "Which is more than can be said about you." Leaving him standing there, she stalked off. Memnon wanted to talk to her.

"At least I don't kill for money, assassin!" He shot back at her. She froze in her tracks, then spun on her heel, eyes blazing. His smug expression only fueled the fires more. Furious, she walked slowly back over to him.

"I would enjoy killing you." She eyed him up and down. "No, death is too quick for you. You are a cruel, heartless, shell of a man. If you had any idea what I have been through," A smirk played across her lips as she shook her head back and forth slightly. "you would not be saying that."

"You are the daughter of the king. How has that made your life hard in any way?" She smacked him upside the head.

"He is not my father! My father was killed in a raid ten years ago." She spun around and left him to ponder this.

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She walked into Memnon's throne room, and he was standing next to a woman. Alex stopped in her tracks.

"M-mother?" The woman smiled as a single tear ran down her cheek.

"Alex," She sighed.


	6. Give 'em a twist, a flick of the wrist

Disclaimer: (laughs) Wipe out. What? We're on? Oh, shit. Did I just swear? Damn it! Oh, crap, got to stop swearing. Don't own anything, much to my disappointment…

**_Sorceress Cassandra180:_** Yes, go Alex. He's a stupid head.

Okay, the platform thing is where Memnon and Mathayus fought at the end of the movie. I don't know what it is 'officially' called and –frankly- don't care.

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Alex sprinted out of the room. Down the halls, around the corners, and past confused servants. She didn't stop until she got up the stairs and onto the level that overlooked the city. Confused and horrified, she just stood there for a few moments, breathing hard. Then she screamed out her frustration –lasting a good fifteen seconds- and dropped to her knees, clenching her fists. Sitting down, she rested her right arm on her knee with her left leg stretched out in front of her.

"Alexandria?" Takmet asked, slowly making his way up the steps. "What's wrong?" What had happened was disconcerting to say the least, almost ironic. She let out a short laugh, then looked at him. He sat down nest to her in a similar position.

"I got to see my mother today." She was smiling, and Takmet was questioning her sanity. Looking up at the night sky sprinkled with countless twinkling stars, she sighed. "Then my father slit her throat for the act of adultery that produced me." She looked back to his confused face. "My mother committed adultery with Memnon against my fa-, my step-father. He was away for a few months when it happened."

"I'm not sure I understand." Sighing, she turned her face back to the stars.

"There are some things that you _know_. I _knew_ that my father was killed ten years ago in the raid. I _knew_ that I was the last of my people. Yesterday, I found out that I had two uncles still. By the end of the night I only had one. Today, I saw my mother, alive. My father was there too." When she looked back to him, her smile had faded. "Memnon is my father. The night of the raid, my life was turned upside-down, but I still _knew_ what I knew. Is this making sense to you?"

"Yes," He nodded. "I think so."

"Good, I wish you would explain it to me sometime. Now, my life has been torn apart. I don't know what I know, I don't know what else I have believed to be true is a lie." A look of terror and horror swept over her face, everything finally sinking in. "Oh, gods." She whispered, wrapping her arms around her midsection.

Finally, the tears came. Takmet wrapped his arms around the weeping girl's shoulders, rubbing her back. She, in turn, laid her head on his shoulder and cried into it.

She wanted somebody to hold her, to tell her that everything would be all right and then make it so. To put everything back the way it was.

To forget all this happened.

"It's getting late." He whispered when it seemed her tears slowed a little. She simply muttered something unintelligible and sniffed. Slipping an arm under her's, he lifted her up, but found that she would not –no, could not- walk. Instead, he used his other arm under her knees, and simply lifted and carried her to the rooms that they were sharing.

Gently, he laid her down on the bed, still crying. He brushed her dark hair back, and moved away to leave.

"Takmet." He turned to face her; she was sitting up, leaning her elbows on her knees, hands hanging down. "Don't leave me." Tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "Everybody else has, physically and emotionally. I don't want to be alone." She took a deep, shuddering breath as he came back over and sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Alright, I won't leave." He held her close.

"Thank you."

Eventually, they lay down. Alex snuggled as close to Takmet as she could, her head lying on his chest, and her arms wrapped around his neck.

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There was a knock at the door. Takmet looked over, Alex still sleeping peacefully on him from last night.

"Who is it?" He called as loudly as he dared, sitting up and shifting Alex up with him.

"Cassandra."

"Enter." She opened the door.

"Oh, she's still asleep?"

"Yes." He replied, confused.

"Did she sleep the whole night?"

"Yes… Why?" He said slowly.

"I want to thank you. Something about you let her sleep without being disturbed by her recurring nightmare. For the past ten years, it was the same dream, depriving her of hours of sleep every night. Thank you." Turning, she quietly closed the door behind her as she left them alone.

Takmet sat there, thinking about what she had said. Recurring nightmare? He would have to ask her about that after she woke up.

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Man, this is so weird. I'm writing this annoying angst, and I'm listening to 'Goodbye Squirrel' by Cledus T. Judd. (shakes head and laughs)


	7. twitches

Disclaimer: Come on, do you really think I own any of this? Yeah, right. I could be so frickin' rich…

**_Sorceress Cassandra180:_** Meh-beh. (does Dr. Evil pinky, giggles evilly)

An inset braid is a French braid. I don't know what they would have called it.

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"Aren't you going to come in?"

"No." They were standing outside the throne room. Takmet was about to go in, but Alex refused.

"I'm sure your father wants to talk to you."

"Don't call him that." She told him, a bit more sharply than she had intended. "A father wouldn't do something like that to his daughter." Takmet couldn't tell if she was just speaking figuratively, or was in denial about what Memnon had done.

"Alright." He tucked her hair behind one of her ears, then disappeared through the door.

She leaned back against the wall, and tipped her head back. _Don't cry, don't cry,_ she thought to herself, taking deep breaths. There was a small bead between the pads of her thumb and forefinger that she was rolling around. Somehow it helped. Slipping it into her pocket, she put her hair up in two inset braids.

Takmet came out, and she was rolling the bead around again. He didn't understand why she had it, but wasn't going to ask, as it seemed to calm her.

"Memnon wants to talk to you." He said, remembering her request/order from earlier. Sighing, she nodded. Softly, her placed a hand on her neck. "Do you want me to come with you?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"No. I want to deal with this alone."

"It doesn't sound like you want to be alone. Are you sure?" Looking down at her bead, she noticed it was slightly lopsided.

"You wouldn't mind coming?" He smiled.

"If I minded, I wouldn't have offered." With one arm around her waist, they walked through the doors.

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Alex sat on the ground in front of Takmet, leaning against his legs. Watching Memnon show off in front of nearly the entire household of the palace was at the top of the list of places she didn't want to be.

"He was being rather hasty, don't you agree?" Takmet whispered to Alex.

"About us getting married as soon as possible? Yes." She took a deep, steadying breath. "I hope he misses the arrow this time."

"Shh." Takmet shushed her; she had said it a little too loud and people were looking at her. She didn't care; they could all take a long walk off a short pier for all she cared. Memnon was setting up to catch an arrow coming straight at his stomach. Unfortunately, he did catch it.

"I didn't do anything!" Two red guards carried in a young boy. Alex saw Memnon take something from his hand while the boy looked at him with a mixture of fear and awe. Takmet laid his hand on her shoulder as he stood, and Alex leaned forward slightly.

She did think it was a shame that they had to cut his hand off. The boy was pretty adamant about not having done anything. Then again, any thief would deny his guilt to save his hand.

Not especially wanting to watch Takmet chop the boy's hand off, she looked to Memnon. He was 'talking' to two women. Rolling her eyes, she looked back at Takmet.

He started to swing the axe downwards, but an arrow pinned it to a statue behind the table. Chaos ensued. Alex looked to where the arrow came from, and saw the lone archer letting loose another arrow; this one aimed for Memnon. For a moment, she dared to hope, but, alas, he blocked it with a blade.

"Alexandria!" Takmet called, shoving his way through the crowd. "Come on." He took her by the arm.

"What? No, that's-"

"Come _on_!" He insisted, pulling her along.

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It is currently 8:03 in the morning, on a Tuesday. I love going late on Tuesdays. I also love Brooks and Dunn, which is what I'm listening to at the moment.


	8. Right

Disclaimer: _Hi! I'm Tris, the evil pyro muse. Sara is currently sleeping, so I get to do the disclaimer-y thingie, along with the 'author notes'. She owns nothing, but I own everything. Bwa-hahahaha!_

_Okay, so, review responses!_

_**Lexy:** Well, alright. Thanks! I love to hear that my inspirations to my host body are appreciated..._

_**Sorceress Cassandra180:** Well, sort of. I'm surprised you haven't said anything about when Takmet dies. Ha! Will I get Sara to keep him alive, come back from the dead (oo, creepy. Pet Semetary-ish.), or just let him die and she gets to be all angsty. Nobody knows..._

_Well, that was fun. Now, on with my evil-inspired story._

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Alex sat on Memnon's throne cross-legged as he poisoned the head of an arrow. She had taken one of the scorpions and was letting it crawl along her arms. Instead of being too upset, she had been in a melancholy mood since she saw her mother die.

"Find him, track him down, kill him…" There was obvious contempt on Alex's face as she shot him a fiery glare. "and bring her back to me." Looking back down to the scorpion on her arm, she toned out the rest of the conversation.

It crawled almost to her shoulder, so she switched it to her right hand. This time, she let it crawl up to her shoulder, where she stroked it's armored back. Apparently, it didn't like this, and with reflexes like lightning, drove it's stinger into her shoulder.

Cringing, she picked it up by the tail and placed it back into the bowl with the rest of them. She examined the wound. Instead of just a clean puncture, it had torn the skin on the way out. Grimacing, she felt the fire of the poison starting to spread down her arm, and pressed around the wound to staunch the bleeding. This wasn't the first tme she was stung, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Alex," Takmet started, getting out of his chair. "what's wrong?"

"Scorpion poison." She said easily. "I'll be fine." She added, seeing concern on his face. It felt odd to have someone so wrapped up in caring for her. She couldn't decide if she felt flattered or insulted by it.

"Are you sure?" He laied a hand on her other shoulder.

"She has been stung before, one more time won't hurt." Memnon said callously. She knew she felt insulted by that, and sent him a hard glare.

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"Why did you kill him?"

"He made a bad decision."

"_A_ bad decision?" The moon and stars shone brightly on their balcony. "I had better be careful as to what I say and do, least you cut my head off."

"I would never do that."

"I would bet that you would have said that about your father a few weeks ago." Takmet didn't want to admit that to Alex, how ever true it was.

"It wasn't premeditated. I was angry at him for giving the last of our tresury to assassins." He said the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, apparently not putting two and two together to realize that the assassins were two of her uncles.

"That just makes it that much worse. You acted out of anger, without thinking. If you had thought, _maybe,_ you could have seen why your father did what he did. You may have the best arguments you can think of, but my mind is as set as yours. As long as you keep thinking what you did was right, I will keep thinking you are a self centered little boy with too much power in his grubby little hands." She looked at him, waiting for his reply.

"But he made a bad decision." He whispered into the night. Alex punched him in the shoulder. It amazed him how much driving force was behind her right fist, even with the poison still in her veins.

"Repeating the same argument over and over just makes you sound ignorant and cocky. Either concede to me, or leave, I never want to see you again. I will not take any crap from you, I've been through enough in my life already." There was total silence for several minutes.

"Alright." He said, breaking the awkward silence. "I admit what I did was wrong. I find that the less I think about it, the less I notice that he is gone and that it is my fault."

"Now you know how I feel, except mine was almost an entire village."

"I never did get the full story of the raid. Will you tell me?"

"In the morning. Night is not the time for such tales."

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Takmet stared at her in amazement, mouth agape.

"You remember everything, and you were _five_!" She nodded.

"It was kept fresh by dreaming of it every night for the past ten years." He was amazed that she hadn't commited suicide yet. "Memnon wishes to speak with me in private." Standing, she winced and rubbed her arm.

"What's wrong?"

"My arm is still sore, that's all." Still rubbing her arm, she left.

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_Heart don't forget, something like that..._

_What? Oh, sorry, I forgot we were still live._

_So yeah. That's the next chapter. Review, damnit!_


	9. Fogiveness

Disclaimer: I own nothing….

I think I will let Tris do review responses from now on. Yes, I'm insane. If she is mean to you, I'm sorry.

_**Sorceress Cassandra180:** Oh, you again, is it? Well, you will just have to wait like all of the other non-existent fans of the story. You see, you are only a figment of my imagination. If I want you to dance around like a drunken monkey on crack, I get to see you do that._

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"Now go!" Memnon and Alex were left alone. She was, again, sitting in his throne with a bead between her fingers.

"Have you brought me here to cause me more pain?" She asked bitterly. Sighing, Memnon turned to look at her.

"No. I hadn't realized how much anguish I had caused you until Takmet was talking to me about how you were acting and feeling."

"You didn't realize? Have you never even watched me? Haven't you ever come into my room when I screamed myself awake? What did you think those nightmares were about, spiders?" He walked over to her and knelt on knee in front of her.

"I am sorry. I should have known." Tears came to her eyes, even with the bead rolling between her fingers. "I didn't realize your feelings. I'm not sure why I didn't see." Looking down, she watched the bead, suddenly fascinated by it.

"Ten years of animosity is not going to be solved in a day." Taking her chin in his hand, he tipped her head up to look in her eyes.

"I know. If you can ever forgive me, I can ask no more. I know that is asking a lot." Her tears finally spilled over, streaking her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

"Give me some time." She couldn't hold his gaze. "I will think about it and try."

"That is all I ask." He kissed her on the forehead.

Within the space of two minutes, she was sitting –alone- on the balcony. Her left arm was resting on her knee and her right arm just resting on her leg.

She just thought about what Memnon –her father- had said. Her father. That was the first time she actually referred to him as that when she was being serious.

_(Okay okay, just imagine this for a minute. Like in the movies, they will show a scene with people, then it fades or cuts to the same place, but the people in different places or positions, and does that several times. That's what's happening here, while the sun begins to set so the sky is turning all cool coloured, then all the stars start coming out, also looking really cool.)_

"Alex?" Takmet appotched the couch, and, consequently, her feet. She was lying on the couch with her legs hanging over the back and her head hanging upside-down over the front. "What are you doing?" Lifting her head and supporting it with one hand, she looked at him, tears in her eyes but smiling happily.

"I forgive him." Reaching over the back, he lifted her by the shoulders and pulled her to a sitting position on the back. _(He was standing between her legs. Hehe.)_

"You do know that the better part of the night has already passed." She leaned back to look at the moon, forcing him to hold onto her in a better way.

"True." Sitting back up, she draped her arms around his neck, and his hands moved down to her waist. He leaned in and kissed her, and she offered no resistance.

She laid her head on his shoulder, and fell asleep. Takmet had to carry her to bed. She's so peaceful when she's asleep- Takmet thought.

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"He's alive, she's with him and he's coming here. Get ready." Alex was dozing on the steps that lead up to the throne, completely stretched out.

"Alex." Takmet tapped her on the shoulder. "Alex." He shook her gently.

"What?" She said tiredly, looking up at him.

"You fell asleep."

"I don't mind. I give you both permission to continue your conversation." Shifting slightly, she put her head back down. "I hear you want to kill my last uncle. That is a very kind thing to do, and right after I forgave you for everything that you have done." Memnon sighed.

"You are the heir to my throne." She picked her head up and looked at him with confusion.

"Thank you," She said uncertainty. "I don't really want to rule anything, but alright. Takmet can do most of it, if he wants." This lit up Takmet's face.

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Next chapter.  
_Are we going to kill Takmet or not?  
_Dunno. Why don't we have the readers decide?  
_Oh, the non-existent ones. Ok.  
_They exist.  
_Ha, only when I'm hyper.  
_Oh, shut up and ask.  
_Alright, don't get all snarky.  
__  
Okay, to all of you figments of my imagination, chapter question:_

_What shall we do with Takmet?_

_1. Kill him, the bastard.  
__2. He's alive! (gestures wildly like Dr. Frankenstein)  
__327. Pet Semetary! _(Dies, then comes back kind zombie-like)_ Ey! No clarifying!  
__2931. Reincarnation_ (Meaning he's fine after dying)_ What did I just tell you?_


	10. No, Takmet, please

Disclaimer: Again. I own nothing.

_**RampantLioness:** Da? Is that even English? Please use proper grammar and English. Not important? What the duck? He's like, what is keeping her from committing suicide._ Be nice, Tris._ Oh, whatever. I have to admit, it is better conflict, but that can be achieved by reincarnating him. Just do it after Balthazar leaves._

Okay then. Please take no offence with Tris, she can get rather snarky. Just ignore her or laugh at her, she will start laughing too.

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"He left his bow behind." Takmet attempted to bend her uncle's bow, unsuccessfully. The women sitting around him giggled.

"That's not how to impress a _lady_, Takmet." Alex put an emphasis on the word lady, making sure he knew she was referring to one, and not a whole harem. He looked at her, amused and ready to play her little game.

"And just how, exactly, would be the right way to impress a lady?" Giving him an impish smile, she shifted to lean against him.

"Tenderness, kindness," His hand moved to her knee, and slowly started to move upwards. "It's in his kiss." They both lean in and kissed. After parting, she was smiling, but it wasn't convincing.

"She doesn't appreciate you enough, Prince Takmet. She isn't even happy to be sitting with you." One of them said. Alex turned a death glare on her.

"What would you know about our relationship? You have no idea how much I appreciate him." She paused to look at the others. "Harlots." Settling back into Takmet's arms, she cast them one more icy glare before sighing and picking up a bit of food.

"You spoiled little brat of a princess," It was never a good idea to piss off Alex, but this was especially bad timing. The food dropped from her fingers.

"What," Alex stood up and glared at her. "did you call me?" Her voice was almost a growl, her fists clenched, knuckles turning white.

"Alex," Takmet tried.

"A spoiled brat." She sneered.

Alex leaped into action, literally. In a single jump, she was able to clear the table and knock the woman down to the floor on her back, with Alex on top, raining down punches. The woman barely had time to let out a shriek before the pounding started.

"I will not accept your condescending tone!"

"Alex!" Takmet grabbed her fist to stop her. "Take your rage out one something else." Alex was still staring at the woman's face. It was already starting to turn shades of purple, and there was a cut on her lip. "Alex," Sighing, she looked at him. "leave her alone." She could tell that he didn't really care about the woman, but more under the impression that she wasn't worth the effort.

Standing, he let go of her fist. She walked back to the other side of the table and sat, ignoring the women fussing over the one she beat the crap out of. Takmet sat by her side, putting an arm about her shoulders and rubbed slowly. Her head fell to his shoulder, eyes squeezed shut.

"My Lord," Everyone went silent and looked at Cassandra. Alex smiled a bit, though sadly. "I am here at your request. She began to walk towards Memnon. "Pardon my absence, I… was not well."

Alex laid her head back on Takmet's shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head, sending the harem ladies a superior look.

"The feast is over." Alex looked to her father. He had dismissed Cassandra, and then apparently stabbed one of his men in the gut. "To bed, men, for tomorrow we conquer."

Takmet stood, and with Alex right beside him, walked over to Memnon.

"Fortify the palace guard." Memnon whispered.

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He took her hand and helped her up onto his horse behind him, then started off at an easy trot. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, head leaning on his back.

"You know I don't like you being here with me. It's dangerous."

"If I can't be out here, you can't be out here. That's my uncle out there." Little did she know that a very similar conversation had just taken place not that far away.

"Seal the gates, seal all the gates."

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There was the ringing of metal on metal, and they headed that way.

They leaped over a broken market stall, and could see a large fight happening. One Amazon woman rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being trampled. Up the steps they went, and through a broken window.

She saw it coming, and slipped off the back of the horse. She tried to call out a warning, but her voice didn't seem to be working. Balthazar grabbed Takmet's spear, throwing him to the ground. Before he could get up, there was a foot on his chest and a spear tip at his neck.

Things seemed to move in slow motion. She tried to get up and run over, to stop this from happening, but it felt as if she was under water, the currents keeping her away. Then she heard a distant scream as the point plunged into his neck, and everything returned to normal speed.

"Takmet," She grabbed his hand in both of hers, kneeling next to him. "Takmet, no, no."

"I… love you." He managed to get out, blood coming out of him mouth.

"No," Tears were trying to escape from her eyes, but she wouldn't let them. "Takmet, no, please, no." His eyes closed for the last time, and she started to sob. "No," She laid her head on his still chest. "No…"

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Oo, very angsty chapter.


	11. I want you to be king

Disclaimer: I own this as much as I own a mansion and a yacht. And I don't.

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She had a taste for blood, a need for it. Dipping her two swords in a bowl of flaming oil, she made her way back to where the feast had been. There was a single red guard with a bow, but no arrows.

"You are dead." Her face was set in grim stone; nothing could sway her from her selected path.

In one quick upward motion, she sliced an **X** in his neck. He didn't bleed very much, but the hot blades had cut through his windpipe.

He fell to the ground, and she ran towards her father. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to kill him, or hug him.

"Father!" She stood directly in front of him.

"You should not be here." He told her, and kicked her in the side before Mathayus let the arrow fly. She fell to the ground, trying to get her breath back.

There was a huge explosion, and Memnon was knocked backwards into the flames. Sitting up, she took a few gasping breaths, staring down into the flames. Mathayus and Cassandra ran up beside her to look out over the crowd.

As she stood –with the help of a stone next to her- all of the soldiers knelt.

"Hail to the Queen!"

"Hail!"

"Hail!" The two of them looked to Alex in confusion. She just stood there, one hand on the stone, the other around her middle, staring at where she supposed her father's charred remains were.

Memnon had kicked her, but had saved her from possibly being killed along with him. That may have been the most merciful thing he uncle could have done for her, killing her right there with her father.

Turning her head, something caught her eye.

Balthazar.

Snarling, she picked up her still flaming swords and ran for him, with no concern for life or limb. Dimly, she heard her name being called, but paid it no heed.

Then, there was only darkness.

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Groaning, she rubbed the back of her head. She was in her bed, alone. Apparently, she had fallen down the stairs and knocked herself out cold last night.

Last night.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks. Takmet, gone. Memnon, gone. The man who killed Takmet, alive, possibly even in the palace right now.

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"Mathayus!" She thrust open the doors and ran into the throne room where everyone was standing. The entire room fell silent, and she slowed to a walk.

"My Queen." There were general murmurs of polite greetings and salutes to her. Balthazar watched, trying to stay out of her sight. If this queen –no more than a girl- wished him dead, then he might as well hand her his sword and let her have at him.

"Everyone out." She said on a sudden thought. Everyone stared to leave, and she was surprised at the power she had. It was a little unsettling; no one had ever obeyed her commands like that. "You stay." She motioned to Mathayus, Cassandra, and Philos. They stopped. "I have no idea who you are," She told the horse thief. "but you can stay."

"Oh, thank you, my Queen."

"Don't call me that." The doors slammed shut as she walked past them to the throne and sat down. Her throne. Tears came to her eyes and she rested her head in her hand. Everything was happening too fast. If one thing had happened at a time, she may have been able to handle it. But all in one night, she had lost her father, her fiancé, and had acquired the throne to her father's kingdom.

"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked. She knew that Alex was having a hard time gripping all that had happened, but wanted to know how deep the emotional rift delved.

"I don't want to be queen." She said through her tears. "I want Takmet back." The pain was too much for her to hold, and the tears ran freely.

"Alex." Mathayus knelt in front of her. "Alex." She looked up at him through teary eyes.

"I felt his soul leave him. I held his hand as he died, and I felt his _soul_ leave." He pulled her in and let her cry on him. "I want you to be king." She whispered in his ear, arms wrapped around his neck. "I can't do it."

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Feel special, two chapters in rapid succession. I COMMAND YOU!


	12. Oh, gods

Disclaimer: Yeah, right, I wish. My mom thought the movie was crap. My dad thought it was 'very deep' and 'enjoyable'. He thought the costuming was the best. Mainly Cassandra. Oh, my dad. (laughs)

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Alex stood out in the sun next to her uncle, Cassandra standing on his other side. She had a faraway look, and was staring out to the horizon. There were no thoughts going through her mind. It hurt to think. Everything inevitably led back to Memnon, Takmet, or her dead family and friends.

When she saw Balthazar, though, Mathayus had to hold her back with an arm in front of her. If he hadn't she would have launched herself onto him, clawing and racking his skin with her bare hands. If she had remembered she had swords, she would have used those, too.

"Alexandria, calm down." She got her temper under control and watched him leave on his horse. Watching carefully out of the corner of her eye, she waited until Mathayus and Cassandra were busy with each other, and slipped to the back of the crowd. Paralleling the path the departing company was taking, she followed them.

It didn't take her long to spot him. Darting from the covers of trees and bushes to the next, she was able to slip into the group without calling too much attention to herself. Those that did notice her, she just flashed them a deceivingly charming smile and continued on her way.

A narrow path opened up in the people in front of her leading directly to Bathazar's horse. Hoping that nobody moved in her way, she ran. At the last possible second before she rammed into the north end of the south bound horse, she swerved to the left and punched him in the arm.

"What do you think-" The scowl on her face and the pain in her eyes told him everything he needed to know, and they promised death. If not now, then later. "Oh. Oh, no."

"The next time I see you, I will kill you to avenge Takmet."

"I was avenging his father." Tears rimmed her eyes.

"You have no idea!" she shouted. "He regretted what he did! He realized what he did was uncalled for and with no thought to anything else!" For a moment, she just looked at the ground, walking next to him, fuming.

"Still-"

"Just for your comments, I will do all that I can the make your death as long, slow and painful as I can." She shoved her way through the crowd, back towards Gomorrah, muttering to herself about possible tortures the entire way.

Some of the travelers noticed an angry looking girl, and would catch a word or two. "Cut it off… rusty… peel his skin off… salt acid… innards… flaming oil…" Some of them wondered if they should stop the obviously mentally unstable girl, but none dared to even make eye contact with her. The look on her face promised death to all who bothered her.

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The guards wisely moved out of her way as she stormed through the palace, muttering something about castration by bricks.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" The two guards fumbled at the door to the throne room as Alex turned around the corner they got it open just in time to avoid having their throats ripped out by her bare hands.

"Alex?" Cassandra asked. Looking up, all of her anger reverted back into sadness. Cassandra reminded her of Memnon, who reminded her of Takmet. Closing her eyes, she breathed a deep sigh. Upon opening them again, she walked over to the side of the throne and sat, one arm resting on her knee, her other leg streached out in front of her. It would be a long time before she moved again.

"Are you hungry?" Mathayus asked her. She made no move to show she heard him. "Alex?" He waved a hand in front of her eyes. Her eyes closed tight as he took a deep shuddering breath.

"No, I'm not hungry." Sighing, he turned and left. Cassandra knelt beside her and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I worry about you, Alex. You need to eat." A vision came to her. In it, Alex was smiling and laughing in the sunlight. There was another voice, a man's, but it wasn't Mathayus. She recognized it, but pulled away before she saw his face. No, that was impossible, he was dead.

"Cassandra?" She looked down into her face.

"Yes, Alex"

"I don't know if I can live anymore." That remark just nearly broke her heart. Cassandra pulled her into a warm embrace and whispered in her ear.

"You will once more be happy and laugh, but you must survive." Before leaving, she kissed her on the forehead.

After about an hour, she heard the door open. She paid it no heed, and continued to stare at the floor.

"Alex," Her head shot up at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Oh gods," She scuttled backwards, away from him. "Why do you torment me with such visions?"


	13. Bleargh!

Disclaimer: Again, I own only Alex. I am not claiming to own any of the other characters, nor the original plot. I am not stealing it, merely borrowing it for my own entertainment._ And for the entertainment of the imaginary reviewers._ Tris, shut it.

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"No, Alex, Alex!" A few long strides took him to the base of the steps. She was trembling, whimpering and crying. "Please," He took the steps slowly until he was kneeling beside her. "Do not fear me."

"No, you were killed." With a trembling finger, she pointed to his neck. "Look." He reached up and touched it. They both looked at the flecks of dried blood on his fingers.

"Alex," She looked up at him. "they resurrected me." He said quietly. "Please, do not fear me." One of his hands cradled her jaw line.

She looked into his eyes, felt the way he touched her. It felt right, but he was dead. He saw her inner battle, and kissed her full on the lips. At first, she resisted, but then her heart told her the truth.

"Takmet," He looked down at her head resting on his shoulder. "I thought I had lost you."

"It's alright now." He stroked her hair gently. Sighing, she relaxed completely, and cried tears of relief and the overwhelming circumstances.

Gently, he scooped her up in his arms, one under her legs and the other under her back. She shifted slightly, and smiled sadly at him. (damn alliteration)

"You haven't eaten since the feast, have you?" He asked, starting to walk towards the door. She shook her head. "That's what I thought. Let's go have some food then, shall we?" The doors was open a little, just enough to let him slip his foot in and open it the rest of the way.

"Put me down." She requested. Takmet bent down so she wouldn't drop, and let her stand, one arm around her waist.

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"I'm worried about Alexandria." Mathayus told Cassandra. They were both sitting at the head of a table. There was a feast to celebrate the new king, thought it was to be for the new queen.

"She will be fine." She assured him, resting a hand on this arm. "She is a strong girl."

"Even the strongest man in all the world has his breaking point." He countered, holding his position. Cassandra had to concede to his point.

Takmet and Alex walked into the courtyard, mostly unnoticed at first, walking towards Mathayus and Cassandra. When people started to notice them, news spread like wildfire. Quiet gasps preceded them, while whispers followed them. They all thought he was dead.

"Greetings," Alex sat on one side of the table as Takmet addressed them. "my King. My Lady." He gave Cassandra a polite nod before turning back to Mathayus.

Having no idea what was going on, Mathayus just sat there, looking confused. When he looked to Cassandra, she looked pleased with herself as she looked at Takmet.

"I pledged my allegiance to the former king, you were there. Now, I will serve you, just as faithfully."

"You wish to swear an oath to me?"

"No, not an oath. But if these bear fire enough to kindle cowards and to steel with valor the melting spirits of women, then, I will." Mathayus nodded his understanding.

"I suppose you would have to." He discreetly motioned to Alex. Takmet smiled sheepishly and glanced at the floor embarrassed. "Now go sit with her." With a small bow, he did as he was told.

Alex laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. Takmet wrapped his arms around her.

Mathayus turned to Cassandra. She just gave him a playful look.

"Do you have anything to do with this?" He questioned.

"Possibly." She said with a smile.

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"Alex!" Takmet called. The sun was shining, and her giggle gave her away. She couldn't control it, it just came. After more than eleven years, it felt wonderful to laugh again.

As quietly as he could, Takmet snuck up on the pillar Alex was hiding behind. She let out a short yell, and dove at him. He caught her in his arms and held her close.

"Good afternoon." She said pleasantly. Smiling, he kissed her.

"I talked to your uncle. The wedding is set for next week." He told her.

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Okay, that's it. Done, complete, last chapter, finished and through. NO MORE AGNST, TRIS!


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